UT lands top-10 hoops recruit

Avery Bradley, one of the top-rated high school guards in the nation, has verbally committed to play for the Longhorns, his AAU coach Garry Ward confirmed on Thursday.

Bradley, ranked No. 8 overall in the 2009 class by Rivals, is a 6-foot-3 guard who averaged 26 points a game last season for Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma, Wash.

Bradley picked UT over UCLA and Kansas. He was scheduled to make an official visit last weekend, but postponed those plans because of Hurricane Ike. Ward said Bradley will vist UT next weekend, but was ready to make a committment.

“He’s been to the camp down there, and really fell in love with the whole thing,” said Ward, who coaches the Northwest Panthers AAU team. “Texas has always been the school he’s wanted to go to.”

Despite Bradley’s offensive prowess, he’s regarded as one of the best perimeter defenders in the country. And Ward says that comes from his competitive drive.

“He just flat out competes,” Ward said. “If you steal the ball from him, he’ll run you down, block your shot and take the ball back. He’s the best competitor I’ve ever coached.”